If spatial
resolution, contrast and sensitivity are sufficient, MR-microscopy can be
used as a powerful instrument for in vivo investigation of the human
skin as an alternative to histology. The key obstacle is the SNR decrease due
to the low sensitivity of MR-microscopy. A reason for that is the layered
structure of the skin demanding an extremely high-resolution over an enhanced
FOV. A phased-array MR-microcoil was developed to alleviate such limitations
combining the advantages of large FOV and high SNR. The presented coil was
characterized in terms of B0 homogeneity. Feasibility studies were performed
revealing high-resolution images of human skin.